Bronze Statues
by Steph-Schell
Summary: The Warehouse gets a visit from Helen Magnus


**A/N: **Just for those that don't know, Warehouse 13 has this thing where when they find really evil people, they flash freeze thier bodies and then coat them in bronze. It's like suspended animation.

* * *

Visitors to the Warehouse were rare. Actually they were pretty much non existent. So when the knock came on the Warehouse door, everyone was surprised. Most of them were surprised that a knock was coming at all. Artie was surprised that the visitor had taken this long to come to them. But he really shouldn't have been, life got busy after all. "It's alright," he told the other four. "I know who it is."

He passed all of them and opened the door. A tall brunette in a black dress stood there. In one hand she held a large bouquet of flowers. "Hello, Helen," he greeted softly. He kissed her on both cheeks.

"It's good to see you Arthur," she said with a soft smile.

"If only the circumstances were better," he sighed.

Pete coughed from behind them and Helen stepped further into the command center. "Do forgive me," she said. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Helen Magnus."

"Helen and her organization, the Sanctuary, have been allied with the Warehouse for over a hundred years," Artie provided. "In fact Helen's father was regent back for Warehouse 12 and Helen herself was an agent."

"But that's impossible," Myka stated.

"Why is that?" Pete wondered.

It was Helen who answered. "Because Warehouse 12 was located in Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution, 1830 to 1914." She set the flowers on Artie's desk. "Of course, I didn't work at the Warehouse all that time; I was working on my own organization during the later years. But I don't believe in burning bridges, I've kept in contact with the Regents ever since."

"Dr. Magnus has been invaluable in helping us with artifacts," Artie told them.

"Oh, Arthur," Magnus admonished. "You flatter me. I know for a fact that your agents are just as, if not more, important than I am."

"But wait, hold on," Claudia called. "If you were an agent back in the 1800's that would make over a hundred years old."

"I am 158 years old as of two months ago," Helen proclaimed proudly. She smiled at the shocked looks. "I look quite good for my age, don't I?"

"Uh, how is that possible?" Pete asked.

"Vampire blood," Helen explained. "I injected myself, along with four of my dearest friends when we were younger. The blood endowed me with quite the expanded life span."

"That is incredible," Leena stated.

Helen's smile turned sad. "That's not the word I would often use," she said quietly. Then she shook herself and brightened. "Now then, I've introduced myself but you have yet to do the same."

"Agent Pete Latimer, US Secret Service."

"Agent Myka Bering, US Secret Service."

"Uh, not-quite-agent Claudia Donovan, um, helper I guess."

"I'm Leena, owner of the bed and breakfast."

Magnus cocked her head. "No last name?" she asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Just Leena."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Helen smiled.

"So are the flowers for someone?" Pete gestured.

Helen looked at the desk. "As a matter of fact, they are," she agreed. "They are part of the reason I'm here."

"Are they an artifact?" Claudia asked.

"No, they're actually for someone," Helen said.

The four exchanged glances. There was no one in the Warehouse except them. Artie was focused on Helen. "I guess we should go down then," he sighed.

"If you wouldn't mind," Helen nodded. "I'm on a very tight schedule. I need to put a spin on a sighting in Japan so I can only stop over for a moment."

"Where are you going?" Pete wondered.

"It's personal," Artie snapped.

Helen held up a hand. "It's alright," she told him. "They can come along if they'd like. Company makes it a little easier."

"Uh, of course," Artie agreed. "It's your choice."

"Thank you," Helen said softly.

Artie led them down to the Warehouse floor. There was very little conversation as they wound their way through the shelves. Finally they found themselves in the Bronze sector. "She's over this way," Artie murmured. The other four thought it best not to ask. They were taken all the way to the back corner of the sector where one statue stood apart from the others. It was a girl in her early twenties. The main difference between her and the others was her expression. Most of the people in the Bronze Sector looked angry or terrified. This girl was smiling.

Helen had tears in her eyes as she approached the statue. "My Ashley," she whispered.

"You know her?" Pete finally spoke up. Myka hit him. "Ow," he muttered. "You were wondering the same thing."

"It's quite alright," Helen called over her shoulder. "It's natural for you all to be curious. Ashley here is my daughter, my only child."

Artie moved them a little bit away from the statue so Helen could talk to her daughter in private. "Ashley was kidnapped by an evil organization called the Cabal," he explained. "They twisted her mind and made her turn against her mother. She tried to take her own life rather than destroy Helen's work. But it got a little screwed up so she found the Regents instead. Because Helen's family has been so involved in the Warehouse, the Regents agreed to keep her here until a cure could be found."

"Heavy," Claudia murmured.

"Quite," Helen agreed. None of them realized she had come over. "Arthur, this process you use," she gestured, "It doesn't hurt her, does it?"

Artie was quick to reassure her. "I promise you it doesn't. The most she felt was a tingling cold sensation. She's perfectly fine and healthy inside there. You should have no problems when the time comes to reverse the process."

"I wonder," Helen sighed, looking at her daughter. She turned back to the agents. "You must think me a silly old woman asking such questions," she said. "But I'm her mother and I worry."

"It's quite alright," Leena told her. "We understand."

Helen managed a smile. "I'm not sure you do," she admitted. "But the fact that you are trying is more than enough." She turned her attention to Ashley again. "It's not the most comforting thought," she said, "Knowing that Ashley is in here alone. I worry she thinks this is some sort of punishment, even though she asked for the process to take place. I do wish I could come more often and visit. Perhaps then she would not feel so alone in here."

"There is no reason to worry," Artie assured her. "I usually come down her and talk to her when I have free time. Also I, uh, I have some speakers hooked up here so when everyone leaves at night I play music."

"Old man music," Claudia snorted. She looked to Magnus. "Don't worry; I'll switch it out for something good."

"I'll have you know I play very good music," Artie objected.

"Not likely," Claudia said with a roll of her eyes.

"Those flowers must be for the vase here," Leena jumped in. "I'll be sure to water them while you're away. They look lovely."

"Thank you," Helen smiled. She took the dead flowers from the vase in front of Ashley and replaced them with the fresh ones.

"And Pete and I would be happy to read to her whenever we get the time," Myka added. "Is there anything in particular she liked?"

"I'm sure she'll be happy just to hear another voice," Helen told her. "It really is very kind of all of you to do this."

Before anyone could tell her that it was nothing, Artie spoke up. "There's something else you should see," he said in a low tone. Helen gave him a curious look. "This way," he murmured, taking her arm.

They were led further back into the Warehouse where another bronze statue waited for them. This one was of a man in his early to mid thirties, completely bald and also smiling at them. His smile was sadder than Ashley's. "John," Helen whispered.

"Another part of the family?" Pete called.

"John here was my lover back in the Victorian Era," Helen stated. "He is also Ashley's father and Jack the Ripper."

Everyone but Artie was once again shocked. "He came to the Regents after he heard about Ashley," he told Helen. "They explained to him what had happened and the process used. After the, uh, the creature inside him took hold again – well, he ended up here as you can see. He stopped in to see Ashley before I bronzed him."

Helen gently stroked her love's face. "He said he had no destination in mind," she murmured. "How fitting that he would want to be with Ashley during her time of need."

"Wait, he's Jack the Ripper?" Pete asked.

"I was the one who gave his lantern to the Warehouse," Helen told them. "I discovered it after he killed Molly, which was when I truly learned what he was." She had to swallow against the memories before she could continue. "You see, John had also injected himself with the blood. It gave him the power to teleport. When he did so, he would convert his entire molecular structure to pure energy along with anything in his grasp at the time."

"So during the teleport some of his molecules must have bound themselves with those in the lantern," Myka finished.

"Instant artifact," Helen agreed. She spared another glance at John before turning to Artie again. "You have a vault for his personal things correct?" she asked.

"The Escher Vault," Pete nodded. "That is one crazy place."

Helen drew a photograph out of her pocket and handed it to Artie. "I'd like you to put this with John's other things," she requested.

Artie looked at the bright picture of Ashley smiling. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, don't you want to keep this with you?"

"Arthur, I have hundreds of photos of my daughter from every stage of her life," Helen said. "John has a right to have some of his own."

Artie shrugged. "If that's what you want, that's what you want," he agreed.

"Thank you," Helen said. She looked back at the statue. "You'll look after him as well, won't you? I know he's a lot less innocent than Ashley but he is still a human being."

"I'm sure I can rig up some speakers over here," Claudia said. "Doesn't seem like it would be too hard. We'll take out the music Artie's been forcing your daughter to listen to and put it over here."

"If you have any Mozart, he enjoys that as well," Helen told her with a smile.

"I think I have a few CDs at the bed and breakfast," Leena interjected.

Before Helen could thank them again, her phone went off. She let out a soft swear word under her breath. "It's Will," she told them in an apologetic tone, "He's right, I do need to be getting back."

"Have you…told Will yet?" Artie asked. "About Ashley, I mean?"

Helen looked slightly guilty. "I confess I haven't," she admitted. "Nor have I told anyone else. I'm really not sure how, you understand. And I suppose part of me wants to just keep her all to myself for now."

Artie didn't look completely on board but he nodded. "Well your decision," he agreed. "If you ever need anything."

"You'll be my first call," Helen promised. "And now I really must go. Thank you again all of you." With one last smile she hurried out of the Warehouse.

"Now that is one incredible woman," Claudia opined, breaking everyone from their quiet spell.

"Yes, she is," Artie agreed. "Because she gets work done. Why is everyone standing around here? There's things to do, there's inventory to be cataloged. Claudia, you said you would hook up speakers; Leena, go find those albums; Pete, Myka, get to work on that inventory; do I have to do everything myself here?"

With rolling eyes and few muttered comments the Warehouse was back to their normal business. Each inhabitant wondering what would happen during their next visit with the enigmatic Dr. Magnus.


End file.
